The force is strong with this one! Disney+’s breakout series The Mandalorian has casted Rosario Dawson for its upcoming second season, according to Slashfilm. The actress will play Ahsoka Tano, jedi padawan apprentice to Anakin Skywalker. Previously featured in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, Dawson’s portrayal will mark the first in live action for the character.
Ahsoka Tano was first introduced in the 2008 film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which was then adapted into the series of the same name. Fans picked up on Dawson’s resemblance to the character, prompting many tweets at the actress asking her to appear in Star Wars films as Tano. She went on to reference these on Good Morning America in early 2017, stating that it “would be amazing” to play the character, noting that she thought it was a “good sign” that the official Star Wars account followed her on Twitter. Three years later, it looks like Dawson’s wish has come true.
The Mandalorian debuted in November 2019 on the then-recently launced Disney+, delighting fans as the first live-action Star Wars series. Taking place five years after Return of the Jedi and 25 years before The Force Awakens, the series follows a bounty hunter (the titular Mandalorian played by Pedro Pascal) who is tasked with protecting “The Child,” aka Baby Yoda. Its first season was well received by critics and longtime fans alike, leading to Disney+ granting the series a second season set to premiere in October.
Ahsoka Tano’s appearance in The Mandalorian will mark the first time the character has been portrayed at this age, considering her former appearances all took place earlier in the Star Wars timeline. The character has gone on to achieve considerable popularity among fans, with Tano appearing in comics, video games, her own 2016 novel, and even as a voice cameo in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. It is currently unknown how the character will fit into the timeline of The Mandalorian.
Dave Filoni, co-creator of The Clone Wars and writer/producer/director of The Mandalorian, is set to return for season two of the series, which will arrive on Disney+ sometime this October.